Mercy Pediatrician Dr. Ashanti Woods Discusses Limiting High Sugar Foods in School Meals

The new nutrition standards will limit added sugars in school meals across the country. The new USDA guidelines will be in place for the 2025-2026 school year and will target high-sugar foods like sweetened breakfast cereals, flavored yogurts, and flavored milk. The USDA believes the new standards are a significant step forward in the fight against childhood obesity and type 2 diabetes and will ensure that students have access to healthy and nutritious meals at school.

According to Ashanti Woods, M.D., FAAP, specializing in General Pediatrics at Mercy Family Care Physicians in Baltimore, these new guidelines are a welcome and helpful measure that will help kids across the country.

"There has just been too much sugar, too much sodium in these foods," Dr. Woods said.

Dr. Woods explained that the new rules limit sugar in school meals to around 10% of the recommended weekly allotment of sugar for kids. This will not be an instant change, and the foods will be changed slowly to help kids adapt.

"It's going to be a gradual rollout and reduction in both sugar and sodium," Dr. Woods said.

Dr. Woods further suggested that parents try to limit junk food in their home but more importantly try to increase activity, if their kid is eating a lot of sugary foods.

View Mercy pediatrician Dr. Ashanti Woods' interview regarding efforts to limit sugars in school meals.